Improved amalgamator



I. T. HALSTEAD.

Amalgamator.

Patented July 25, 1865.

/v VEIV TO M Pf a.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IRA T. HALSTED, OF FREDONIA, NEW YORK.

IMPROVED AMALGAMATOR.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 48,930, dated July 25,1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA T. HALSTED, of Fredonia, in the county of(Jhatauqua and State of New York, have illVtIlTPti a new and ImprovedAmalgamator; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in theart to make and use the same, reference being had to theaecompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 represents a vertical central section of this invention. Fig. 2is a horizontal section of the same, the linear m, Fig. l, indicatingthe plane of section.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention consists in the employment or use of a concave diskprovided with openings at the sides and in its center, in combinationwith a muller revolving in a tub with a flat or concave bottom, in sucha manner that the quartz or other material which is to be acted upon bythe muller, and which, in consequence of the centrifugal force, has atendency to ac cumulate near the inner periphery of the tub, is causedto rise through the openings on the circumference of the disk and todescend over its concave side to the center, where it passes back intothe tub.

A represents a tub, made ofcast iron or other suitable material, with aflat or concave bottom in the ordinary form and shape of the tub of anamalgamator. In this tub rotates a muller, B, the lower or grinding;surface of which is formed to correspond to the shape of the bottom ofthe tub. Said muller revolves on a central axis, (J, which has its beaing in 'a suitable socket rising from the center of the tub, as shown inFig. 1 of the drawings, and it (the muller) is secured to a yoke, D,which rises above the socket.

A circular aperture, a, in the center of the muller allows the quartz orother material to be acted upon to pass between the grindingsurface ofsaid muller and the bottom of the tub.

E is a concave disk, which is placed loosely into the tub. It rests upona shoulder, b, on the inner circumference of said tub, and it isprovided with apertures c on its sides or near its periphery and with acentral opening, 61, through which the yoke of the muller rises. Thisdirk remains stationary, and ifthe muller rotates the quartz or othermaterial has a tendency, by mason of the centrifugal force, toaccumulate at the inner circumference of the tub. Such material risesthrough the apertures c on the periphery of the disk, and, dropping downover its concave surface, returns to the tub through the centralopenings, (1 and a, in said disk and in the muller. By this arrangementthe quartz or other material passes through between the guiding-surfaceof the muller and the bottom of the tub in an uninterrupted current, andthe mercury used in the process of amalgamation is brought in intimatecontact with every particle of quartz. Alarge percentage of gold left inthe quartz by ordinary amalgamators is thus reached, and the process ofamalgamation is greatly facilitated.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent A concave diskprovided with openings at the sides and in its center, in combinationwith a muller revolving in a tub with a flat or concave bottom,substantially in the manner and for the purpose set foth.

IRA T. ElALSTED.

Witnesses:

M. M. LIVINGSTON, O. L. ToPLIFF.

